From my Point of View
by Cupcakes and Accents
Summary: We know all about Katniss but what about the people around her?


_My pristine white dress ruffled in the wind, I stuck out like a sore thumb next to all the girls from the seam in their hand-me down dresses. I hated it. I hated being the mayor's daughter, I hated what had become of the world and most of all I hated this. The Reaping. The voice of the one and only Effie Trinket awoke me from my thoughts._

_ 'Ladies first!' she drawled out in her oh so fake happiness as she reached into the glass ball which held the names of all the girls aged 12-18 in district pale fingers picket up one off the hundreds of yellow slips of paper, she unfolded it and read out the name._

_ 'Madge Undersee.'_

I woke up startled my breath ripping out of me in rags, whilst running a hand through my hair in an attempt to calm myself down, my eyes caught the outline of my new dress in the darkness I looked at it with disgust. I thought about the nightmare I had and couldn't help but think of myself as pathetic I only had my name in their 5 times others weren't so fortunate, people like Katniss Everdeen my only friend. Her name would have been entered at least 20 times the odds where definitely not her favour but Katniss wouldn't be waking up from nightmares or acting so pitiful. It was stupid but every year since I had turned twelve I'd had the same dream, where I Madge Undersee was chosen for the Hunger Games but I have no right to worry I mean I've never had to take tessera, never had to have my name entered more than it should be. I detested the system no scratch that I detested the Capitol.

Deciding my attempts at sleep were futile I swung my legs off of my bed and into the slippers that my Dad had got me for my birthday last year they featured little bows and embroidered roses of all shades of pink. They weren't my style but they were comfy none the less. I shuffled over to the full length mirror that was once in my parent's room but now lent against the wall near my wardrobe. I looked at myself from the untamed wad of blonde hair sticking out of my head to my slipper clad feet. Everyone said I was the spitting image of my mother and when I looked really close I could see that, I think that's why she always seems to have a sad smile on her face when she sees me I remind her of her sister, my Auntie Maysilee.

Behind my curtains I could see the first light of day peeking out trying to invade my room. I sighed knowing I would have to get ready for the day that fills every resident of District twelve with fear. Stripping of my pyjamas I got into the bath I had just drawn not to cold not to hot just the way I liked it. I submerged myself in the water letting it carry away all my thoughts and began to work out the knots in my hair. When I was satisfied that I was squeaky clean I reached out for one of the fluffy towels after covering my body in it I walked back into my room.

I picked up my dress holding it in my hands feeling the softness of the material, I couldn't deny the fact that it was beautiful dress but it was making me look graceful for an appalling tradition made by the Capitol we were like play things to them there for their enjoyment to live when they say so to die when they say so. Knowing I better hurry up and get ready I pulled the dress over my body and secured the side of it with the exquisite golden pin that had been handed down through my family. Finally I got to work on my hair brushing it out of it's untamed mess then tied it in a simple ponytail with a pink ribbon.

Once I was ready I headed downstairs to grab a bite to eat I was just about to walk into the kitchen when I heard a tapping at the door thinking that no-one else would answer it I went towards the back of the door. Assuming it was somebody selling something, they always came to the back door, and I picked up some money from the jar on the table next to the door.

I swung open the door and found Katniss and her friend/ hunting partner Gale Hawthorne I always heard girls at school talk about him but I never really got the fascination with him yes he was handsome and caring but he was human not a God like they all made out. In Katniss' hands were strawberries straight from the fields outlining District 12, they were my Dad's weakness the strawberries that is not the fields.

I saw Gale eyeing up my dress. My reaping clothes. I could help but squirm under his gaze it felt like he was judging me, assessing me.

'Pretty dress,' Gale said

I couldn't help but look at him with suspicion. Did he really mean it? I tried to work out whether he was paying me a genuine compliment or whether he was being ironic. I plastered a thin lipped smile on to my face.

'Well, if I end up going to the Capitol, I want to look nice don't I?' I answered back.

Now it was his turn to be suspicious then his expression turned into something of revulsion and I immediately realised I'd said the wrong thing. Gale would have his name entered over 40 times this year he had a much higher chance of being reaped than me.

'You won't be going to the Capitol,' Gale said coolly. His eyes landed on my gold pin I knew that something like that could keep his family afloat for months. 'What can you have? Five entries? I had six when I was just twelve years old.'

'That's not her fault,' Katniss interrupted him.

'No, it's no one's fault. Just the way it is,' He whispered.

It wasn't my fault but sometimes it felt like it was, wasn't my family just as bad as the Capitol really? We were no better we let those children be taken. What Gale had said had made me feel ten times smaller than him.

Wanting this to be over sooner rather than later, I put the money for the berries in Katniss' hands.

'Good luck, Katniss,' I spoke softly I thought about all the slips of paper with her name on it and couldn't help but wish I could do something more than say good luck.

'You, too,' she politely replied. And I closed the door filling the gap between us.

Composing myself I headed for my previous destination, the kitchen. Once I got there I found my Dad sitting behind the table placed in the middle of the table paper in his hands, his eyes skimming it and his mouth moving in unison. It was his reaping day speech. Even though he had, had to give this speech each year since he became mayor he still like to go through it. All eyes would be on District 12 and he didn't want anything to go wrong. District 12 was the most undesired district even our own escort wants to be bumped up to a better district with better and more victors. We only had one victor still alive, Haymitch Abernathy and he was drunk so there was no chance of him mentoring any successful children. But really who could blame him for seeking solace in the bottom of a bottle after what he'd seen. We lost Maysilee to that same game that Haymitch won; in fact I heard that they were allies at one point.

'Katniss and Gale just stopped by with some strawberries,' I told my Dad.

'Ah good, good. Why don't we have them now?' He replied putting down his speech and licking his lips in anticipation.

I turned towards the sink and turned on the cold tap letting it run for a bit, I then started to clean the strawberries and pulling out their dark green stalks and leaves. I then moved to the countertop and laid out a cloth on which I dumped the berries and dried them. Certain that they were now ready I grabbed a bowl from one of the cabinets. The bowl was off-white in colour and had swirling patterns in yellows and oranges. Once the bowl was filled to the brim with strawberries I set it on the table in front of my Dad.

'Nothing like a great berry Mad,' My Dad said using my childhood nickname.

I took a seat next to him and dived into the strawberries I bit into one. The juice exploded in my mouth making my taste buds tingle my Dad was right nothing like a great berry. We finished the strawberries savouring every mouthful. Then my Dad pushed back his chair and stood up.

'How to a look?' He asked waggling his eyebrows.

'Handsome as ever,' I barely managed to answer I was laughing to much. My Dad was a tall balding man who regularly forgot to shave and didn't like formal wear very much but you could see he had made an effort today his chin was cleanly shaven and he had on a new suit. I reached up on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on to kiss cheek.

'You're too nice,' he chuckled returning my kiss with a tight squeeze. 'I've got to head off see you at the square.'

The atmosphere completely changed no matter how much we laughed or smiled today was still a day of misery and dismay. Before I managed to tell him 'goodbye' he was out the door, he wouldn't want to be late. I glanced at the clock above the oven and though that I better go say goodbye to my Mother I would be heading off soon.

'Mum,' I whispered tapping on her bedroom door. No answer. I pushed open the door it was pitch black. My Mother suffers from migraines, so she constantly sat in the dark, but I just think it's severe depression people tell me she hasn't been the same since her twin sister died in the games. I entered the room trying to walk as silently as possible I could see my mother's frame rising up and down from under her covers. It was nice seeing her sleep it seemed to be the only time when she was truly happy when she didn't have any worries or cares. I bent down to kiss her goodbye, I could smell lavenders and honeysuckle it was like coming home it reminded me of when I was younger and i saw my Mum more often when she use to read me stories and draw with me.

'I'm off now. To the reaping,' I explained to her trying to make my voice as small as possible so I wouldn't wake her up. With one last look at her care free state I took off out of her door, back down the stairs and out of the front door into the warmth of the outdoors.

My walk to the square wasn't to eventful but it was quite too quite. It was like the district was holding its breath closing its eyes because it knew what was to come. At the square we we're all rounded up into our age groups I saw Katniss saying good bye to her sister Prim, you could see how much Katniss loved her after their father had died in a mining explosion her Mother shut off from the world and she had to raise Prim. I'd always wondered what it was like to have a sibling.

Situated on the stage in the square were three chairs but only two were occupied one with My Dad and the other with Effie Trinket fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin, pinkish hair and spring green suit. They murmured to each other and looked at the empty seat concern covering their faces. I knew they would be freaking out everyone's eyes would be on District 12 and this didn't make us appear good.

The clock struck two and My Dad took his place at the podium really the same old and tired speech used every year. He told everyone of the history of Panem, the country that rose up out of the ashes that was once called North America. He listed the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained. The result was Panem, a shining Capitol ringed in thirteen districts, which brought peace and prosperity to its citizens. Then came the Dark Days, the uprising of the districts against the Capitol. Twelve were defeated, the thirteenth obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guarantee peace and, as our yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, it gave us the Hunger Games.

The rules are simple in punishment for the uprising each of the twelve districts must provide two tributes, one girl and one boy to take part. Over a period of several weeks 24 tributes must fight to the death in an area which could hold anything. The last tribute standing is the winner.

The Capitol do this to show how we are at there mercy how they can take our children and kill them to show we will not survive another rebellion and as if this isn't eve we have to treat them as though it is a festival a celebration.

My Dad finished of his speech with the words 'It is both a time of repentance and a time for thanks.' He then continued on to list our victors, we have had exactly two, it was at this moment when Haymitch staggered on to the stage muttering something unintelligible and collapsed into the third chair. Of course the crowd then responded with its token applause causing him to become very confused and he tried to give Effie a big hug which she barely managed to fend off.

I could see my Dad was stressed he was hardly keeping it together right now district 12 would be the laughing stock. Jumping into action he quickly introduced Effie Trinket trying to pull everyone's attention back to the reason why we were there.

She trotted up to the podium bright and bubbly as ever, 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!' I came to the conclusion that her pink hair must have been a wig as it had shifted slightly of centre since her encounter with Haymitch. She went on to say how much of an honour it was to be in District 12. That was a bare-faced lie and everyone knew it she couldn't wait to be bumped up to a better district with victors who didn't greet you with drunken hugs. At last it was time for the drawings. Effie Trinket said as she always did, 'Ladies first!' and crossed over to the glass ball holding all the girls names. She dug into it and the square went silent you could almost hear all the girls chanting please don't be me please don't be me and I was chanting along with them.

Effie Trinket crossed back over to the podium, smoothed out the paper slip and read out in a clear voice. I couldn't believe who's name she'd drawn out.

It was Primrose Everdeen.


End file.
